Republicans try to woo Soeharto

Republicans try to woo Soeharto

JAKARTA: The Republican Party, which accommodates people from
any religious, ethnic and cultural background, is trying to woo
former president Soeharto and his relatives to prove that it is
an "open party".

"Our doors are wide open for the 'Cendana family'," party
chairman Syarifuddin Harahap said here Friday responding to
allegations that the party is financed by the Soehartos.

"Cendana family" refers to Soeharto and his relatives, who all
live in the neighborhood of Jl. Cendana, Central Jakarta.

Syarifuddin said none of the Cendana family members have been
registered as party members.

He criticized reformists who, he said, mean to restart the
political system by putting the state ideology Pancasila at stake
and allow Marxism to flourish.

"The reform movement poses a threat to the nation's
integrity," he told Antara. "There are people who even want to
see a social revolution happen in Indonesia."

The party warned about the danger of money politics that some
political parties have allegedly been doing.